How and what will I use /trial from this?

Here are the benefits I have found:

• The workshops are very focused, 15 minutes and to the point
• Students are excited to move up a workshop level
• The planning is already done, so I just really have to turn up
• I love the small groups - often individuals or pairs

Here are the problems / issues I have found:

• I found the tracking sheet extraordinarily difficult to manage because there is insufficient time to copy, paste name in the next WS, re-highlight original name so I could see how far a student has moved.
• Students are sometimes late to workshops
• Students haven't put their learning intentions in their books
• Students are not highlighting their individual tracking sheet unless I monitor them
• There is no time to breathe between workshops
• When students arrive at workshops, some need previous work to be marked, some some have already had a workshop on the topic and for others this is their first workshop
• Sometimes there are large numbers at a workshop
• It can be difficult to keep track of everyone and everything
• I still have a nagging thought at the back of my head about the linear nature of the workshops
• I can't have everyone in a workshop every day

Here are some of the solutions:

Tracking Students
Using Trello to track students.  Include a Workshop number on their card to show where they started to see how far they have moved.

I've abandoned individual tracking sheets - I don't feel they add anything.

Ready for Workshops

Consequence for late to Workshop - grotts (fines) S50 to start with, then I lowered it to S10, then we changed it to a Classcraft grott.  Very little lateness to Workshops now.  Learning Intentions are in books almost always

Breathing Space

I've trialled 'Pomodoro', which is an iPhone app that times a number of work times, followed by a break time for all.  It means I can ask for quieter, more focussed work as kids are doing SDL / workshops, knowing they get a 5 minute break to walk, talk, eat, play.  It's a fun time for me to just talk to or play with kids.

Workshop Process to Streamline Sessions

1. Who has anything to mark?
2. Which of you is at this workshop for the first time?
3. Teaching - with materials and number
4. Any followup (once this is on the Trello, it doesn't need to be stored and re-organised each time)
5. Once students have mastered the learning intention, they move their name on the wall, on the Trello and put their new Learning Intention in their books

Large Workshop Numbers

Split the group, and double the sessions

Daily sessions for all students

All students get daily Maths, but not always in a Workshop.  That's OK.